MANAMA - The interior ministers of the countries neighbouring Iraq have called on Baghdad to form a government as soon as possible and pledged increased cooperation in fighting terrorism.

"The formation of a government representing the different components of Iraqi society is an internal issue to be decided by Iraqi political forces," the ministers said in a statement issued late Wednesday in Bahrain.

But the quick formation of a government is "a national, regional and international need," they said at the end of a meeting.

More than six months after Iraqi legislative elections, negotiations on forming a new have yet to be successful.

The ministers also decided to set up a team of experts "to review security cooperation among them... (and) exchange information on terrorist activities threatening Iraq and neighbouring countries," the statement said.

The meeting -- the seventh of its kind since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 -- was attended by the interior ministers of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt and Bahrain.